Those tasked with keeping the forum safe for all members ask you to please read through the following rules before posting on the forum.

Two overarching concepts should govern interaction here on the forum:
1) John 13:34 - "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."
2) Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

These two concepts will go a long way to keep the Shack Forum a safe place for all community members. Where
as humans we may fall short, the rules below have been created to help guests and members comply with the
spirit of the Forum.

Basic Shack Forum Rules and Policy

1. Post Your Subject in the Proper Forum
One of the main reasons that the Board was revised was to make it easier for everyone to see and find threads that they want to participate in. So think first before you start a new thread (see #3 below). Make sure that you have the best forum you can think of for your thread. For example, if you are asking a question about a specific chapter in the book/movie, even though it technically could be posted in the "General Comments About the Shack", it belongs in "Chapter-by-Chapter Forums". Users consistently posting to the wrong forum may be given a warning.

2. Post Your Subject with the Proper Title
Same reason as #1 above. If someone has a question about a topic, it makes it much easier to use the Board if it is properly titled. Avoid titles like "Did you see this," "what do you think of that," "Mack," "God," etc. Much better to say "Messy gardens and the Holy Spirit," "God in our sadness," "Learning to live life from adventure" or "How I'm learning to become like a child again" ... and so on.

3. Pause Before You Post
This is something that everyone can benefit from, but this is especially true for anyone who wishes to post a criticism against the book/movie (see #10 below for more information). Before you send the latest jab, punch, tweak, etc into cyberspace, take a minute (or two, or five) to make sure that you are doing so in a spirit of Christian maturity (see #4 below). Study first, pray, post after. Flaming or abusing users in any way will not be tolerated and will lead to a warning, and eventual banning.

a) Members are asked to respect the copyright of other users, sites, media, etc. Users linking to or asking for information on warez, crackz, etc. or re-printing material without permission will receive a warning and their post will be removed.

b) Members are asked only to post in English, as this is an English speaking community.

c) Members should respect the bandwidth of other users and sites. The use of inline () image tags pointing to data stored on third party systems for which the user has not received permission to link to may be removed.

d) Members should post in a way which is consistent with "normal writing". That is users should not post excessive numbers of emoticons, large, small or colored text, etc. Similarly users should not SHOUT or use excessive punctuation (e.g. ! and ?) in topic titles or posts. Users consistently abusing this will be warned.

e) Spam is not tolerated here under any circumstance. This includes offering services (charged and free), professional services, solicitation etc. Recruiting members for your own projects/forums is not permitted and is also considered spam. Users posting spam will be warned and their post removed.

f) The moderating, support and other teams reserve the right to edit, remove or put on moderation queue any post at any time. The determination of what is construed as indecent, vulgar, spam, etc. as noted in these points is up to Team Members and not users.

4. Make sure of the medium as well as the message
While it is necessary to make effective provision that all be sound in the faith, there are truths and forms with respect to which men of good character and principles may differ. Above all, operate with Paul's command, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2) well in mind. In other words, seek first to understand, then to be understood.

5. Be willing to consider others thoughts
Continuing with #4 above does not mean the most important thing on the Board is whether we all agree about everything. But we must all realize that we have biases, and these biases color our worldview and understanding. Thus we must strive to always keep a "listening ear" to one another and be willing to admit that we could indeed be wrong about an issue.

6. Remember that this is a fan-based discussion forum for the book/movie, The Shack.
The purpose of this forum is primarily for people who have read and enjoyed the book/movie. Also, we encourage those who were touched by the book/movie, but struggle with certain issues or themes, to post as well. The forum does not exist as a sounding board for those who do not like the book/movie and wish to have non-stop theological arguments (see #10 below).

7. Moderating
The Shack Forum uses volunteer moderators (Global Moderator) as leadership to facilitate general order and guide the book discussions that they may be exhortative as well as educational to fans of the book. Global Moderators follow orthodox Christian principles and convictions, and we have openly allowed using the Nicene Creed as a starting principle by which any Community Assistant or member must abide. Members are asked to not act as “back seat moderators”. If members note an issue which contravenes something in this policy document they are welcome to bring it to the attention of a member of the Moderator Team. Please use the “post report” feature to report posts. Do not respond to such topics yourself. Members who constantly “act” as moderators may be warned.

8. Policing
a) The Shack forum operates a three strike policy. Users will be warned a maximum of three times for any and all offenses in a three month period. If the need arises for a fourth warning a temporary ban will be put in place of between 1 to 7 days. (Moderators may show additional grace, as the situation warrants. Please don't abuse this favor)

b) Arguing with team members after having received a warning will lead to an immediate additional warning. Should this exceed three strikes a temporary ban will be put in place as above.

c) Users who feel they have been unfairly warned are welcome to contact the relevant team leader, e.g. if warned by a moderator you should contact the Forum Admin. Please note moderators collaborate with forum management and discipline, and prayerfully consider warnings and eventual banning.

d) Any attempt to circumvent a temporary ban or other moderator action will lead to a permanent ban of your account(s). Circumvention includes re-registering or using an already registered account under a non-banned username. Other examples include changing IP addresses, using a new email account or other action that can be taken to evade moderator action to hide your identity as the owner of the sanctioned account.

e) An exception to the three strike rule applies when users contact team members personally (via any method) and post insulting, indecent or vulgar material. Such users may be subject to an immediate permanent ban.

f) Permanent bans are a last resort and thought is given before implementing them. While the Shack Forum may consider lifting permanent bans from time to time this is a rare occurrence.

8. Banning
It is not the general practice of the board Administrators or Global Moderators to ask a participant to leave. Generally they try to be tolerant of postings, issuing warnings where appropriate first. Members may be banned after sufficient warning and repeated violations of Board Rules. The ultimate banning of members is at the discretion of the Forum Admin, in consultation with the Global Moderators.

9. Forum Specific Rules
Several of the Forums may also have rules specific to that Forum. Please make sure that you have read the rules of a Forum BEFORE you post there.

10. For those who disagree with the book/movie
We certainly understand that there are some who may not like the book/movie. But if you do not like the book/movie, why post here? Although you are free to express your opinion, we discourage anyone who comes here to make extreme slanderous remarks. We also discourage anyone from registering and making one negative post then disappearing. Such posts and accounts will be deleted. We encourage community and relationships. So if you register, please be a part of a growing community.

There are also those who may disagree theologically with some parts of the book/movie. Again, since this book is fiction and not the Bible, we don't expect everyone to agree on every theological theme. Anyone who makes slanderous posts including charges of "heresy" with no backing will be warned with possible banning. Anyone who is rude, argumentative, and non-loving will be warned with possible banning. This forum does not exist as a place of theological debate.

We also encourage anyone who posts on theological issues (especially posts which take issue with the book) to FIRST get to know people on the forum, and discuss the book/movie in general. We are prayerfully considering the addition of a forum for discussion about the theology of the Shack, but have in the past found it to be disruptive to the community, and pulling energy away from vision of wishing to discuss Papa's love, and many of the past discussions have been combative and anathema to this vision.

However, with that said, we do encourage friendly, open-minded discussion on the theological themes of the book (preferably from those who enjoyed the book in some capacity).

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Global Moderators or the Forum Admin of The Shack Forum.

May Papa bless you during your stay with us.
Papalovesyou (Forum Admin)

May we all come to know Papa as we are known... and see ourselves as He sees us!